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I’m going to cut to the chase, Valentine’s Day is probably my least favourite of the gift giving holidays. This is mostly because my love language by a long shot is quality time and the one I identify with the least is gifts. But over the years I have been able to come up with a list of gifts that I have loved and really met my need for quality time, while allowing Michael to the chance honour our relationship, because in the end that is really what your partner is trying to do here my quality time friends. Honour what you have built together.
Music
Whether it’s a mix tape, an open mike or a concert of their favourite band music makes a great gift of quality time. Music has a special way of bringing us together and creating core memories. I know I can hear a song from 2003 and feel so many things in those few minutes, all from the memories that are tied to it. Some are hazy, some are clear as day but the memory is there in my bones. And that is the kind of gift a quality time person lives for.
You see we live for the memory. We want to look back and relive moments in time we had with special people. This is why consumable gifts like chocolate and flowers may fall a little flat. But give the gift of music and will set yourself up for win.
A winter picnic
Michael did this out first Valentine’s Day together and I still love it, and think of it every time I drive by the park where we ate. Sure winter is cold so pack some heavy blankets, some warm drinks, light a fire make some s’mores. Take a wintery walk, hike or snow shoe and at the end snuggle by the fire and enjoy a light snack.
I will never forget the simple little picnic Michael planned on a cold winter day. If your person is outdoorsy at all, and a quality time person this one will hit the nail on the head. It also has great recall in the memory bank. It isn’t something you do often, and maybe plan to do the same walk in the spring or summer, bringing this memory forward again.
Tail gate
Yes, I said tail gate, and if doing that in the parking lot of a football stadium is your thing fine. But I don’t mean that kind of tail gate. Not everyone is into a wintery hike no matter how much wine and chocolate is waiting at the other end. But a quiet drive at sunset (or sunrise) who doesn’t love that?
Take your special someone for a drive to somewhere with a beautiful view. Pack a picnic and blankets. open the hatch of your SUV and just chill together in silence. I know every mother out there would probably be indebted to you for a long time for this one… your welcome fellas.
Cook Together
Cook together, not for them, but together. We are talking quality time not acts of service here. You can plan the menu, do the shopping, buy a brand new wine. Then enjoy the experience of making something together. Now if it turns into a dish that you both love and ends up on the menu again, you have just set up a situation that is going to lend itself to some powerful memories.
We all know how powerful memories linked to food can be, and an experience like this will tick all the memory making boxes. And if it tastes awful, still not bad because they will laugh any time they hear someone else making it, remebering the time the two of you made the dish together.
Final thoughts
When it comes down to it, quality time people want to make memories with you. They are sentimental in that they want to look back on their lives and know they lived it with you. Whether you choose something from the list above or get creative give your special someone a memory to look back on. That’s all they are looking for this Valentine’s Day.
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